Vitali Kiltschko Pondering Fighting David Haye: Why Loudmouths in Boxing Do Well

When Tomasz Adamek lost his title fight to Vitali Klitschko this last Saturday in Poland, I was a little saddened.  It was mostly because I liked the smaller boxer who seemed to be a throwback to the days when you could fight off TV  and do well because of a built in fan base.

Another more selfish reason was because it would mean that there might be a chance at a unified heavyweight title holder. It doesn't seem like it is going to happen anytime soon though, and I've come to accept that. In boxing, fans usually learn to accept the things that they want to see but won't.

Then I heard that Klitschko was mulling over a possible fight with David Haye.

This actually infuriated me. This is what happens in boxing.  When someone like Haye gets a fight with Klitschko right after getting a one-sided beating from his younger brother Wladimir it's a little different.

Why should Haye get this fight? I realize that he is only being considered for it, but even that is ridiculous.

The reason is obvious of course. It is because he generates media attention. Someone can be a great fighter like Adamek, but just like Adamek boxing would have to slowly build itself up with a resume of good fights to get a shot at real exposure. Instead boxing, and those that fight, go the cheap route.  Get the mouthpiece of a fighter in a match and watch him work.  He'll get all the sound bites needed and get more headlines then the last three fighters who came before him.

Does it matter that he doesn't have a chance? Nope. Not even a little bit.

I believe Haye will get the fight. He will tell us that it is different this time because he will be 100 percent committed to the fight. He will say that he is going to kill Klitschko and that his speed is better than Adamek's.

And somehow, someway he will convince a majority of causal fans that he can do it. It will sell the tickets needed, get the ratings up for the TV stations that have promised to show the fight and get the boxing journalists to actively write about it whether through livid rage or feigned excitement. Boxing will sell the fight to the masses and they'll tune in and watch it.

As for the boxing fans? We'll watch anyway.

Because we always do.

Silently and filled with unspoken frustration.